Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)

ATV approaching ISS, Artist View

The German Space Operations Center in Oberpfaffenhofen supports with its ground infrastructure the planned ESA ATV-missions. The role of GSOC is to act as data node service provider for the European wide data network. Thus it supports the two main control centers for the ATV-missions in Toulouse and Moscow.

The ATV is equipped with a docking mechanism to dock to the Russian segment. The most important task of the unmanned vehicle is to transport necessary resources like drinking water, food or new science experiments to the ISS. Using its own thrusters the ATV can also be used to realign the station in its orbit.